College of the Desert Department of Music

MUS099 Applied Music: Jazz Studies Requirements

Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Guitar, Piano, and Bass (see Drum Set/Percussion below)

I. Semester I: Modal and Blues

1. Technical Requirements:
a. Major scales in all keys
b. Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian, and blues (or minor pentatonic) in all keys
2. Repertoire
a. Minimum of five tunes memorized (play the melody, know the harmony, and improvise): at least one
blues, and a combination of modal/other tunes that make use of Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian, and Major
scales.
b. In addition to the jazz requirements, students must perform one classical piece.

Modal Blues Other

Maiden Voyage (Dorian) All Blues Phase Dance (Dorian, Lydian)
Impressions (Dorian) Sonnymoon for Two Well You Needn’t (Mixolydian)
So What (Dorian) Blue Monk
Little Sunflower (Dorian, Major, Lydian) Bessie’s Blues
Passion Dance Chitlins Con Carne
Afro Blue (Dorian) Freddie Freeloader
Take Five (Dorian) Night Train
Cantelope Island (Dorian, Mixolydian)
Milestones (Dorian)
II. Semester II: Major Key Tunes including II-7/V7/Imaj7 progressions
1. Technical Requirements
a. Chromatic scale
b. Diatonic (Major Key) 7th chord arpeggios
2. Repertoire
a. Minimum of five tunes memorized (play the melody, know the harmony, and improvise); at least one
swing, one Latin, one ballad, and one “Charlie Parker” blues.
b. The five tunes from the previous semester.
c. In addition to the jazz requirements, students must perform one classical piece.

Swing Latin Ballad “Charlie Parker” Blues

Lady Bird Recorda-Me Afternoon in Paris Au Privave
Take the ‘A’ Train Dearly Beloved
Satin Doll Here’s That Rainy Day
Tune-up Misty
All of Me
Four
Pent Up House
Perdido
Valse Hot
Half Nelson
Dewey Square
III. Semeste
III: Minor Key Tunes including II-7b5/V7b9/I-7 progressions; Rhythm Changes
1. Technical Requirements
a. Harmonic minor scales in all keys
b. Diminished 7th chord arpeggios
2. Repertoire
a. Minimum of five tunes memorized (play the melody, know the harmony, and improvise); at least one
swing, one Latin, one ballad, and one rhythm changes.
b. All ten tunes from the previous two semesters.
c. A jazz solo transcription.
d. In addition to the jazz requirements, students must perform one classical piece.
Swing Latin Ballad Rhythm Changes
Autumn Leaves Blue Bossa My Funny Valentine Anthropology
Airigin Black Orpheus Yesterdays Oleo
Solar But Beautiful
Blues for Alice
Bluesette
Four on Six
I Love You
I’ll Remember April
Mr. P.C.
Equinox
Ornithology
I Remember You
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

IV. Semester IV: Use of diminished, whole tone, altered dominant, and Lydian dominant scales
1. Technical Requirements
a. Diminished, whole tone, jazz melodic minor (including altered dominant and Lydian dominant scales)
2. Repertoire
a. Minimum of five tunes memorized (play the melody, know the harmony, and improvise); at least one
swing, one Latin, and one ballad
b. All fifteen tunes from the previous three semesters
c. A jazz solo transcription
d. In addition to the jazz requirements, students must perform one classical piece.

Swing Latin Ballad

All the Things You Are A Night in Tunisia Body and Soul
Beautiful Love Once I Loved Chelsea Bridge
Cherokee One Note Samba A Child is Born
Donna Lee Girl from Ipanema My Romance
Have you Met Miss Jones Meditation ‘Round Midnight
There Will Never Be Another You
Dolphin Dance
Stella by Starlight
Scrapple from the Apple
There is no Greater Love
V. Additional Requirements
1. Guitar
a. Students must demonstrate the ability to comp the chord changes to their chosen tunes in the
appropriate styles.
b. First Semester:
i. Standard E and A form 7th chord voicings
c. Second Semester:
i. Standard D and C form 7th chord voicings
d. Third Semester
i. Drop two voicings with top one on high E and B strings
ii. Chord solo
e. Fourth Semester
i. Altered chord voicings using E, A, D, C, and drop two voicing when appropriate
ii. Chord solo
2. Piano
a. Students must demonstrate the ability to comp the chord changes to their chosen tunes in the
appropriate styles. Comping should include:
i. First and second semesters:
1. Left hand: guide tones only and guide tones with an additional tone
2. Two hand root position voicings and four note rootless voicings
ii. Third and fourth semesters:
1. Fourth voicings
2. Upper structure triad voicings
3. Bass
a. Students must demonstrate the ability to play the appropriate feels (walking in four/two, bossa nova,
samba, jazz waltz, etc.) for their chosen tunes.
b. Students must have experience with both electric and double bass.

Drum Set/Percussion

I. Percussion
1. General requirements
a. Students must demonstrate knowledge of percussion rudiments.
b. Students must choose repertoire according to the above requirements for style (swing/bebop, bossa
nova, etc.).
c. Students must demonstrate the ability to play the form and appropriate time for each tune along with
rhythmically interpreting the melody (swing /bebop).
d. By the end of four semesters, students must demonstrate fluency with sticks and brushes.
e. By the end of four semesters, students must demonstrate the ability to trade fours, eights, and twelves.
2. Semester requirements
a. First Semester
i. Swing/bebop and bossa nova styles should be emphasized.
ii. Classical piece: for solo snare drum
b. Second Semester
i. Swing/bebop, bossa nova styles, and ballads should be emphasized.
ii. Classical piece: for solo snare drum or mallet percussion
c. Third Semester
i. Swing/bebop, bossa nova, ballads, and jazz waltz should be emphasized.
ii. Classical piece: for mallet percussion
d. Fourth Semester
i. Swing/bebop, bossa nova, ballads, jazz waltz, and samba should be emphasized.
ii. Classical piece: for mallet percussion
iii. Perform a transcription of a jazz drum set solo